Ornithology Meets Musicology: The Spring Bird Puzzler

Like a peacock fanning his feathers, strut your knowledge of birds and classical music by acing this puzzler.
Wikimedia Commons
hide caption

toggle caption

Wikimedia Commons

Do birds know when it officially turns spring here in Washington? It seems ever since Sunday, I've been hearing a lot more chirping in the morning. My favorite white-throated sparrows have skipped town, but the hermit thrushes and northern flickers are getting noisier. I wouldn't call myself a birder, but I do love watching and listening to our flighty friends.

Many composers have felt the same way — so much so that they've written birds into their music. Below, in another one of our interactive puzzlers, are a few examples. Click on a sound clip to hear the unidentified music, then drag it to the appropriate image to reveal the composition. Get it right and strut like a peacock. Get it wrong and peck at the crumbs with shame.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Credit: Nelson Hsu

Note: Some music clips actually imitate the bird, others are vaguely suggestive.

Deceptive Cadence covers the world of classical music. Hosted by Tom Huizenga and Anastasia Tsioulcas, it's an open space for discussion, discovery, music listening and news. Want to know more? Read our introductory post. Have a question or comment? Contact us.